Donald Trump v. The United States: Inside the Struggle to Stop a President

There are multiple reasons why Michael S. Schmidt has won two Pulitzer Prizes, which center around his investigative skills. He brings all these attributes into play by writing this book.I have read over a dozen books covering to the past five years of the Trump era. Schmidt’s book covers the period of July 10, 2015 through Trump’s impeachment. Schmidt writes about the same stories we all have read or seen in the news, but brings his special undercover skills into play to paint a deeper story, providing more detail, insight, and understanding for the reader than presented by other authors. If there were only one book I was allowed to recommend to the reader to explain this period of the Trump administration, it would be Schmidt’s book.The reader will be guided through the period of time that Trump tried to use Don McGahn to remove Robert Muller. Why McGahn hired Bill Burck as his personal lawyer, and how the two navigated the political waters between John Dowd/Ty Cobb and Robert Mueller. In the end how McGahn became a star witness in the Mueller Report, but was able to avoid testifying to Congress.Later in the book Schmidt goes into great detail on how the security clearances for Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump were managed properly by John Kelly only to have the President yank the final decision out of Kelly’s hands and grant the clearances to both his children.These are only a few of the detail areas that Schmidt covers in his book.

In a tone that is as much conversational as reportorial, and in an engaging story-teller style, Michael Schmidt provides the reader with context, details, and the personal roles and perspectives of Jim Comey and Don McGahn in Donald Trump’s unprecedented election campaign and presidency. Trump’s naivete and ignorance of government is made abundantly clear, as is his narcissism, his reactionary decision making, and his reliance on others to do his bidding, however corrupt, unethical,or illegal it may be. This book did nothing to improve my opinion of Trump, but the insights into Comey’s and McGahn’s actions, their perceptions of the President, their views of the Constitution and lawful governance, and their personal agendas left me with a much clearer understanding of the roles they played and the decisions they made as the saga of the Russia investigation unfolded, as well as with decidedly strong opinions of their character.Schmidt proves his dogged determination as a journalist in getting the story, does so without arrogance, sometimes with humility, and with praise for those without whom he might not have succeeded. The book was easy to read, the events easy to follow, and it kept me engaged throughout, eager to learn of each new shoe to drop.

Michael Schmidt’s book “Donald Trump v. The United States” is a commendable effort for a first book. It’s exquisite in some of its inside details, but frustrating for the way it’s written and presented. I wish a good copy editor had gone over it and made extensive revisions. Too many times it’s muddy and opaque and wandering due to amateurish writing, which is strange for a newspaperman, they usually write such clean text. And then there are other parts where he reveals how he gets the juicy, big stories, how hard that is and how good he is at it; or other places where he’s the proverbial fly on the wall in a critical meeting that changed history.His main sources are clearly Don McGahn and James Comey. The book follows their respective stories, mainly from the inside and with their personal perceptions of events as they unfolded. Schmidt offers us lots of details, maybe too many, and spends time dissecting certain documents or giving historical information which waste pages and add nothing extra. The author refers to James Comey as “Jim” half the time, and “Comey” the other half, and his wife as Patrice, and “Tiricey” in Comey’s direct quotes. Call an editor for re-write, please! There are many other sources revealed, but rarely by name, a “lawyer” here, someone who “worked with someone” there. Newspaper/Journalist rules, it has to be that way. But this serves to show what a good reporter Schmidt is.After reading this book, I am left with uncomfortable feelings, about the two main characters, and as well, about the mental stability of our President. McGahn takes inhuman abuse from Trump so that he can keep his job and direct the appointment of judges, including the two to the Supreme Court. It’s hard to respect him. His silence after his departure from the WH only increases that disrespect. And Comey’s breach of FBI policy concerning the Clinton investigation is far worse in retrospect, considering its effect on the 2016 presidential election. Schmidt confirms what the other books have shown: that the Trump WH is not only chaotic, but a health hazard to anyone working there, and now to our nation and the wellbeing of our citizens. Schmidt amply documents that there are no adults there to keep order and do the nation’s business.

Anyone who votes needs to read this book!

Lots of information i had not known before and laid out in a coherent manner. Good read, hope to learn more going forward.

A 2020 favourite.

Another great book with tons of research. It's good that Don McGhan was able to both testify so much before the Mueller Commission and that he seems to have shared these with this author. However, I can't help but have some doubts about McGhan stemming from this book. He appears to be machiavellian and/or obsessed (i.e. filling vacant justice seats.